News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: JTFFA News Release

Date: January 10, 2002

"JOINT TASK FORCE-FULL ACCOUNTING
RELEASE NO. # 01-30 December 11, 2001

SIX MORE FALLEN COMRADES RETURN FROM LAOS, VIETNAM
By JO1(SW) Tim Paynter, JTF-FA Public Affairs

CAMP H.M. SMITH, HAWAII – Over the past several days, televisions around the world have been filled with scenes of U.S. Marine Corps. and U.S. Army honor guards carrying flag-draped caskets of fallen comrades from Afghanistan. Much like those scenes, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA) joint honor guards solemnly escorted six sets of remains thought to be those of fallen Americans from the Vietnam War during a repatriation ceremony Dec. 11 at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. While most think of the country of Vietnam when referring to the Vietnam War, a substantial number of servicemembers were lost in Laos, Cambodia and China as well. Out of these six sets of remains thought to be Americans, four were from the provinces of Savannakhet and Khammouan in Laos, while two sets were recovered in the Cao Bang province of North Vietnam and the Nam Binh province near Hanoi. These Americans are thought to be related to Air Force and Navy aircraft that were shot down while conducting bombing, electronic warfare and forward air controller missions during the war.

While current world events take center stage, many Americans may be unaware that the search, recovery and identification of Americans still missing in action (MIA) from the Vietnam War continues in the countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The search for the remaining 1,948 unaccounted-for Americans does push forth -- and the responsibility falls on the shoulders of Joint Task Force-Full Accounting. The 160-person, Camp H.M. Smith-based task force is responsible for the research and investigation of sites where Americans were lost in Southeast Asia. Based upon JTF-FA's investigation, several factors are carefully considered and sites are selected for excavation. The excavation process is a joint endeavor between JTF-FA and the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) based at Hickam Air Force Base. Once recovered, remains are brought to Hawaii where CILHI then embarks on the identification process using dental and medical records and mitochondrial DNA testing if necessary. Once remains are positively identified they are then returned to the families and interred.

The six sets of remains repatriated Dec. 11 bring the number of remains repatriated to 537 since 1992 when JTF-FA was established, a total of 27 sets this year alone. Though 1,948 are still unaccounted-for, JTF-FA and CILHI have recovered and positively identified 322 Americans since 1992.

U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii
310 Worchester Ave, Hickam AFB, Hawaii 96853"